As the 328-foot crane called the Left Coast Lifter arrives to help rebuild a big New York State bridge, it could serve as a giant billboard for public finance.

Last Thursday, New York City got its first glimpse of one of the stars of U.S. infrastructure repair. The Left Coast Lifter arrived for an extended stay. It's a 328-foot-high, water-borne crane that can hoist more than twice as much weight as its counterparts; it will lead a five-year project to replace the...